A Grey Fence
by Chelwad
Summary: He didn’t say anything for a moment and when she pulled away from him his face was blank and he was staring off behind her. “They – they took him, ‘Mione.”
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Lala, I don't own anything that you recognize from Harry Potter, The brilliant J.K. Rowling does.. ummm.. this is about my fifth shot a a HP fanfic, nothing seems to be working for me, please Read and Review if you will :D  
  
Hermione stared at the scene in front of her in disbelief. Everything was destroyed, fires were burning everywhere, and the the young bodies of both Death Eaters and the ones on her side were scattered everywhere. Some groaned and a foul smell was in the air, but as she searched the battle scene that lay before her for her friends Ron ran up to her.  
  
"Ron!" She cried and threw her arms around him. One of her best friend's was safe so far, "Where's Harry?" She asked eagerly.  
  
He didn't say anything for a moment and when she pulled away from him his face was blank and he was staring off behind her. "They - they took him, 'Mione."  
  
She stared at him, "H - Harry? They took him? Vo - Voldermort?" Ron nodded sadly at her and she sunk down to her knees. Harry didn't deserve this, they were barley out of their seventh year of Hogwarts!  
  
Ron was soon down beside her but was still staring off into the distance, "Harry, Dean, and I were dueling with a few Death Eaters when Voldemort just - appeared," he paused to look down at the ground, "He threw Dean and I backwards, grabbed Harry, and dissapeared along with all the Death Eaters."  
  
She looked to Ron who did look mighty beat up, blood was trailing down his cheek and his arm had a deep cut in it. "Where's Dean?" She asked timidly.  
  
He motioned behind them, "Still back there,"  
  
They sat in silence for a moment until Hermione furrowed her eyebrows together, "R - Ron, where do you think Voldemort would of taken him?"  
  
He shook his head, "I don't know, he's moved from the Malfoy's and, and," his voice trailed off and he shut his eyes.  
  
"RON!" Dean cried running up to them both and Ron jerked his eyes open and looked to Dean with confusion. "You've got to see this, you too Hermione!" he cried and grabbed them both up and shot off down the hill. She and Ron looked to each other but soon were running after him.  
  
They stopped beneath a stone trelace and Dean motioned down to the dirt. Ron was gazing around the secluded section they were now in with obvious angst. "This is where," he looked away at let his words trail off again.  
  
Meanwhile Hermione had kneeled down and let out a small gasp. Written in the dirt were a few scratchy letters and more kept appearing. Dean looked to her and tried to get Ron's attention as Hermione studied the letters that now spelt out:  
  
"yyrr rree eeaa tnn GCc FH" she read the letters and yelled at the two. They both bent down beside her and Ron let out a sigh of defeat.  
  
"That makes no sense, 'Mione." He said hopelessly after a moment.  
  
Dean nodded, obviously accepting defeat also; but the two stayed beside Hermione who wasn't giving up that quickly.  
  
"Can't you see? Harry's name is in there!" she said after studying it.  
  
"Where?" The both asked quickly.  
  
"Look, the letters are all grouped together, so obviously he didn't want anything intercepted. He capitalized the first letters of each word I think," she said and furrowed her brow. "See? H-a-r-r-y," she said pointing to the letters.  
  
Dean nodded but Ron didn't seem so sure, "How could he of done this though? Surely Voldemort would of taken away his wand, and he's only been gone a few minutes." He said, frowning in doubt.  
  
Hermione sat taken aback for a moment, the thought hadn't crossed her mind. Dean shook his head almost violently though, "No! Don't you remember Professor McGonagal's class our sixth year? It's a simple spell, all you need - "  
  
Hermione cut him off, "Yes! All you need to do is concentrate and and, oh Ron!" She exclaimed and threw herself onto him in a giant hug.  
  
"Watch it, 'Mione, don't erase the letters." Ron said carefully. She let go of him and nodded, returing to the letters.  
  
"We need to write these down," she mumbled to herself and searched around in her pockets only to find them empty, minus her wand. "Wait, of course!" she exclaimed and took out a wand. Quickly, a quill and paper appeared in front of her and she scribbled down the letters in haste.  
  
"Ron, we need to get somewhere safter than here. No telling when Voldemort will return," she said turning to him.  
  
He nodded, "Dean, do you remember that house we stayed in last night?" Dean nodded in confirmance, "We can stay there." He said turning to Hermione.  
  
"If anything's left of it," Dean said gazing out across the town. 


	2. Chapter 2

Ron and Dean stood up as Hermione tucked the parchment into her pocket and erased the letters. "We can't have anyone else finding this," she explained. Ron held out a hand and he helped her up.  
  
She saw him flinch and looked down to his arm and once again noticed the gashing wound.  
  
"Oh, we'll have to get your arm fixed too, Ron!" She cried and looked to Dean. "Where's this place?"  
  
Dean nodded towards the town, "It's over there, kind of small, it had running water and such, but I'm not sure what's left of it, just follow me." He said and once again started off.  
  
She nodded and laid a hand on Ron's shoulder trying to comfort them as they made their way back into the city. Hermione looked around her as they walked, it was worse in the city. The bodies were laying everywhere, blood pouring into the drains, and the foul smell of burning flesh made her choke.  
  
The sight seemed to have the same affect on Dean, but Ron's face was set hard as stone as he looked around him, flinching ever so slightly when he moved his arm.  
  
Hermione watched him in pity, he was probally blaming himself for Harry's dissapearance. She hoped they could figure out his message soon.  
  
Dean turned right and as they walked, the number of bodies grew fewer, and the air cleaner. The houses weren't burning on this part of town and most were still intact. He breathed a sigh of relief as they came upon the house.  
  
"Here it is," he said behind him and quickly trudged up the stairs, quickly followed by Hermione and then Ron.  
  
They found the rooms untouched and Hermione turned quickly to Dean, "I'm not sure if I know any healing spells that don't require any ingridents, was this a muggle house?"  
  
He nodded, "I think so," At that she instructed Ron to sit on the couch as she rushed up the stairs in search of a bathroom. Thankfully, there was one right across the hall and in it she found all the first aid supplies she would hopefully need.  
  
She quickly came back down the stairs and sat beside Ron. "Here, Dean," she said and dug the parchment out of her pocket, "See if you can make anymore sense of this." She instructed and handed it to him.  
  
"Now Ron," she said turning to him, "Your arm looks pretty bad, so I have to clean it, it might sting though." She said and took some disinfectant out. He nodded and watched as she pulled his sleeve up, at which he flinched, and dabbed some of the liquid on his wound.  
  
"Ah!" he said, letting a cry of surprise escape his lips. Hermione looked to him and only shrugged and he turned to Dean.  
  
"Put those letters up, mate, maybe we can make more sense of it then." He told him.  
  
Dean nodded and retrieved his wand, mumbled a spell and the letters were soon hovering in the living room.  
  
"We've already got Harry," Dean began and Ron nodded, flinching again even though Hermione was trying her best not to hurt him anymore.  
  
"So we take those letters out," he continued and moved the five letters out of the bunch and set them to the side. Harry's name hung a bit eeriely in mid air and Ron looked back down to Hermione.  
  
She smoothly wrapped Ron's arm in cloth and stood up. "That should be alright until we can get someone else to fix it," She said and sat back down beside him.  
  
Dean was still staring at the letters and Hermione pulled out her own wand, "Look, take all the letters that are capitalize," she began and moved the 'C, G, and F,' and made three colums.  
  
"So that leaves. yrree eea tnn c," Ron said furrowing his brow. "What about 'Green'?" He asked and the appropriate letters moved into the colum where the 'G' sat.  
  
Hermione bit her lip, "Alright, but what else?"  
  
"Um, free?" Dean suggested and the letters moved to the 'F' colum.  
  
"But now all we have left is 'Y-a-t-n-c-C,' that doesn't spell anything." Hermione said sighing.  
  
"Alright," Ron said and the letters moved back into place. "Let's start with the 'C' word first."  
  
There was silence for a moment, "Carry?" Dean said finally.  
  
Hermione studied it for a moment, "And the 'F' letter could be," she paused, "Wait, no," she said ruefully and the letters once again went back into place.  
  
"What about 'Great'?" Ron said and the letters moved around.  
  
There was another period of silence, "And, and C.." Dean began but rubbed his eyes. "Agh, no."  
  
Once again the letters went back into place.  
  
"Maybe," Hermione piped up after a few minutes of concetration, "We should try to figure out what the thing is describing. Like a spell - "  
  
"Or a city," Dean said breaking her off.  
  
She nodded and turned to Ron who was staring fixedly at the letters, "It's not a spell," he said flatly, "I've tried just about every one I can think of. Plus why would he give us a spell? It's got to be the city where he's at or something."  
  
"Good idea though, Hermione," Dean said quickly, noticing her falling gaze.  
  
She nodded and they sat once more in silence; though the day's battle had taken it's toll on the three, and Hermione watched as Dean slowly slipped off to sleep. She felt sleep creeping over her body, and watched Ron's eyes droop aswell. But his eyes never left the now-glowing letters it seemed.  
  
Hermione tried to watch the letters, tried to find some other pattern. But the slow drifting of Harry's name in the golden letters lurred her to sleep.  
  
She awoke the next morning to Ron's excited yelp of success. "Look, Grey Fence!" He exclaimed to Dean who had apparently already awaken. The two words were hovering in their appropriate colums and Dean's gaze narrowed.  
  
"We've got it Ron, I think we've got it." He began and his voice trailed off.  
  
"The last word has got to be the street, or city, or something." Ron said, his voice growing steadily stronger now that they were nearing even greater success.  
  
Hermione sat up off Ron and looked to them both, "It's got to start with a C," she sat sufficently startling Dean and Ron who had been concentrating.  
  
Ron quickly nodded, "And it's got to be a Ca or Ce," he continued.  
  
Hermione stared at it for a split second, "Ca- Canter!" She cried, "It's right outside London!"  
  
The three watched as all four words spelled out, "Canter Grey Fence Harry,"  
  
"Yes! It all fits!" Ron exclaimed, "Hermione, you're amazing! It would of taken me years to see that!" Ron said turning to her and grasping her in a tight hug.  
  
She felt warm tears coming to her eyes, it had been only a day and they were already going to find their friend. 


	3. Chapter 3

Dean had been awful quiet since she had placed the last word and when Ron let go of her, Hermione looked over to him. He was sitting in quiet concentration, not really focusing on anything.  
  
"Dean?" She asked quietly and he quickly looked over. "Why - Why are you being so quiet?" She began.  
  
"Yeah, 'Mione just figured it out Mate!" Ron broke in.  
  
Dean nodded, "It just seems too easy," he began and the other two watched him in confusion. "Didn't you say something about your house, Hermione? That it had a grey fence?"  
  
Hermione opened her mouth but then shut it again, "But that was our old house, what difference does it make?" she asked becoming slightly aggitated.  
  
He looked to Ron and then back to the letters, sitting up a bit straighter in his chair. "I'm not sure, Hermione," he began, "But I'm just not sure how much we can trust this message - "  
  
"We don't have time though, Dean!" Hermione exclaimed, "There's no telling what Voldemort's going to do to Harry, or - or what he's already done!" she felt tears coming to her eyes again and took in a deep breath.  
  
"Don't cry, 'Mione, we all want to find Harry, but - " Ron paused, "But maybe Dean has a point." He said giving her a pleading look.  
  
She stared at him, "Ron! He's there! I know it!" She cried.  
  
"'Mione, please, calm down - " Ron began.  
  
"Calm down? Ron! Harry's going to die if we don't find him soon!" She yelled, her words hanging over them all in an eerie silence.  
  
"Fine," Dean said quietly, drumming his fingertips together. "Alright Hermione, even if Harry is there, aught'nt we to get a few more people to help us?"  
  
"Yeah 'Mione, the three of us couldn't just take Voldemort on," Ron said quickly, understanding where Dean was going.  
  
"But there's not enough time!" She exclaimed standing up, "Can't you two see?"  
  
Ron stood up aswell and caught her eye, "Listen to me, 'Mione." He began but she looked away. "Hermione," he said in warning and she looked back to him with frusterated tears streaming down her face.  
  
"I thought we could take them all on yesterday too, but," he paused and his voice got a bit softer, "'Mione, we just can't. All we've got to do is get back home to Mum, or to the Order."  
  
"There'd be no one to get," she said looking down at her feet. "They're all gone, Ron. It'd take us days to get them rounded up." She said exasperatedly and threw herself back onto the couch, wiping away her tears.  
  
Ron stood there staring blankly infront of him for a few moments, while Dean was watching Hermione in deep thought.  
  
"There's got to be someone - "Ron began but Dean stood up and shook his head.  
  
"Hermione might be right, Mate," he said coming down beside her.  
  
They both looked to him in surprise, "But you just said - " Ron began.  
  
"Ignore what I just said, I don't think Voldemort is going to kill Harry yet." Dean said staring at the floating letters again.  
  
"You don't?" Hermione cried quickly.  
  
He shook his head but bit his lip slightly, "Not - not until we come for him at least."  
  
Hermione looked at him in disbelief and Ron sat on the table in front of them. "What are you getting at, Mate?" He asked narrowing his glance in confusion.  
  
Dean looked to both of them for a moment, "What do you think would satisfy him more? Killing Harry?" he paused briefly, "Or killing Harry and half of the Order at the same time?"  
  
Ron's eyes widened but Hermione shut her eyes. "So - so if we try and save him, he'll - he'll kill Harry?"  
  
"And all of us," Ron said flatly.  
  
There was another silence until Hermione finally spoke again, "So do you think Harry really wrote that?" she asked motioning to the words in the air.  
  
Dean shook his head, "I don't think he did. It might be where he's really holding Harry - "  
  
"Or it might just be a trap," Ron finished.  
  
"So we can either sit here and wait," Dean began and let his words trail on.  
  
"Or go find him," Ron finished.  
  
Hermione watched them both, "We're going alone then?" She asked.  
  
Ron nodded his head before Dean could answer, "Yeah, we are, but I think we should find someone else from the Order first."  
  
Dean nodded aswell, "Like Professor Lupin, or Dumbledore - "  
  
Hermione became frantic again, "But we might not have that must time!" She exclaimed to the two boys who were startled by her outburst.  
  
"There's just no way we can do this alone, 'Mione." Ron began.  
  
"We've done it before Ron! We've always helped Harry fight against Voldemort - "She insisted.  
  
"But Harry's always been there, 'Mione!" Ron countered and her expression fell. "We've got to at least tell someone what's happened," he continued, once again softening his tone, "Or it might cost us all our lives."  
  
She looked to both of them and put her head in her hands. "But what if Dean is wrong? Surely Voldemort won't waste anytime in killing Harry. He's got Death Eaters to kill the Order - he's already killed half of them." She looked up, quickly regretting what she had just said, and tried to regain herself at Ron's suddenly hopeless gaze.  
  
"Oh Ron, I'm sorry, I - I forgot," she fumbled over her words. How could she of said that, reminding him so flat out of Bill's death?  
  
She looked to Dean who had become quiet also, "So are we going to tell Lupin?" he asked quietly.  
  
"Yeah, go ahead, Mate," Ron said dully, not looking at either of them.  
  
Hermione bit her lip, "Do you know where he would be?"  
  
Dean shook his head, "Somewhere in London no doubt, do want me to find him?" He asked standing up.  
  
She nodded, "It's safe to apparate there, right?" She asked.  
  
He nodded aswell, "Yeah, that's how we got here." He paused as his gaze flickered to Ron momentarily, "But do you want me to bring him back here? Or just relay what's happened?"  
  
She furrowed her brow, "Just tell him what happened, Dean, we can't have him endangering Harry's life too."  
  
Dean nodded and looked once more over to Ron. "Be back hopefully tonight," he said to them and apparated, leaving a silent Ron and a most distressed Hermione. 


	4. Chapter 4

"R - Ron," Hermione began, looking to him in pity.  
  
He looked to her and shook his head, "S'alright, 'Mione," he paused and looked to where Dean had just dissapeared, "I'm just not sure we should of let him go."  
  
"But you just said it was alright, and you two apparated from there didn't you?" she said cocking a confused eyebrow at him.  
  
He nodded and after a moment stood up, "Three," he corrected softly and Hermione looked down to her feet.  
  
"What are we supposed to do now?" She asked looking back up to him.  
  
Ron shrugged and looked behind him and back to her wearing a familiar smile, "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry."  
  
She smiled back to him and stood up, "Alright Ron, let's see what there is to eat," she said and walked into the kitchen.  
  
**  
  
"Mum, Mr. Lupin is here!" Ginny exclaimed excitedly to her mother as he opened the door. Staying over the summer with only her mother was boring her to death, and visitors of any kind were quite welcome. But as soon as she saw his face her smile dropped.  
  
"Good to see you Remus," came her mother's usual bubbly tone she put on when they had visitors. Her smile also fell when she looked to him again.  
  
"What's wrong, Remus?" She asked quickly. He shot a meaningful glance at Ginny and her mother turned quickly to her. "Oh yes, Ginny be a dear and go upstairs if you will." She said trying to sound cheery.  
  
She sulked at both of them but quickly made her way up the stairs. But instead of heading to her room she took a sharp left turn and tried to keep her footsteps light, she knew her mother would be listening.  
  
She slowly creeped her way to a nearby wall and tapped on it three times in a specific pattern and a door appeared. She opened it soundlessly and stepped in, it immeadiately closing behind her.  
  
The space was almost pitch black, with the exception of the light shining dimly through an air vent. She crawled over to it and looked down to where her mother and Lupin were standing just out of view.  
  
"I think she's gone," she heard her mother whisper to him.  
  
"Listen Molly, there's no easy way to tell you this," she heard him begin.  
  
"Is it Ron? Or Fred? Or George?" She cried in almost hysteria.  
  
"No, they're all fine, it's just - Harry," he said quietly.  
  
Ginny's attention was caught by now and she wished she could see their faces.  
  
"What about him?" Her mother cried.  
  
"They've got him, Molly," Lupin whispered.  
  
"Voldemort?" She gasped quietly.  
  
Ginny still couldn't see anything but assumed Lupin had nodded because her mother burst out in tears.  
  
"No Remus, he can't of, I've already lost Bill, it's just - " She choked through her sobs and took a step back so that Ginny could see her clearly now.  
  
Lupin was soon beside her and looked more depressed than ever. "That Dean boy that was with him and Ron came to tell me in London. He seemed to be in quite a hurry and almost dissapeared as soon as he had told me. I think they were planning something, Molly."  
  
"Were?" Ginny mumbled to herself and the same word escaped her mother's lips who had now ceased sobbing.  
  
Lupin shut his eyes and rubbed them slowly, "Death Eaters," he said simply, "I was barely able to get away, but as for Dean," he sighed and hit the wall angrily.  
  
"Remus - "Her mother began but he shook his head.  
  
"They're going to try to save him, Molly." He said swiftly and she watched him for a moment in confusion. "Those two, try to take on Voldemort themselves!" He scoffed and Ginny's eyes grew wide.  
  
"But there's no way!" Her mother began.  
  
Lupin nodded, "And there's no way to find them in time, Dean wouldn't tell me where they were - "  
  
"Why ever not?" She cried.  
  
He shook his head, "Said Hermione told him not to tell, that too many people would get Harry killed - "  
  
"They're going to get him killed! And themselves!" She exclaimed now back in hysteria. "I'm only going to have Ginny left at the rate this is going," she sobbed. "And this is her last year at the safest place in all of Europe!"  
  
By now Ginny was crying gently to herself aswell. Dean was dead, Harry was trapped, and her brother and just about her best friend were going to try and face Voldemort by themselves; and what was worse was that she wasn't able to do anything at all.  
  
"Speaking of Ginny," Lupin began looking stealthly up to her and she noticed that her tears were dripping through the vent. She hurried to wipe them away and he continued. "Are you going to tell her?"  
  
Her mother looked up the stairs with a mixed expression, obviously not noticing the tear drops. "I'm not sure, she goes back to Hogwarts next week." She paused, "I - I don't want her worrying."  
  
Ginny sulked through her tears, she was never told anything!  
  
Lupin nodded and her mother went on wiping a few tears, "Well Remus, hungry?" She asked sucking in a breath.  
  
He nodded again, "Famished," he said smiling half heartedly and began to follow her into the kitchen. Before he did though he turned back to where Ginny could see him and pointed upstairs.  
  
"Go," he mouthed to her wearing a slightly annoyed but relieved expression.  
  
Her eyes grew wide and she quickly stood up quietly as possible. She tip-toed to the door where she did the same hand movement and it slid open, shutting silently once more behind her as she climbed out.  
  
Lupin had dissapeared into the kitchen and she hurried to her room. She closed her door softly behind her and jumped onto her bed, wiping away her tear stains and trying not to look guilty.  
  
He came up about ten minutes later, and by then she was already crying again. He'd given her too long to dwell over what she had just heard. Dean's death took a harder toll on her than anyone might of suspected.  
  
They had, after all, broken it off a few months after the beginning of her fifth year, (Much to Ron's excitement of course) but she still had reguarded him as a good friend. And with Harry trapped too! She sobbed a bit harder into her pillow.  
  
Slowly her door opened and she tried to fight off her tears as she saw Lupin walk in. He didn't pay her any attention at first, but grabbed a nearby chair and pulled in infront of her bed. He sat down but she wasn't ready for a lecture yet and buried herself futher into her pillow.  
  
He permitted the resistance for a minute or so but then grew slightly bored with watching the teenager sob. "You wouldn't be in this state if you hadn't been easedropping," he began slowly and she looked swiftly to him.  
  
"But you nor Mum would of told me either! I'd rather find out this way than not at all!" She exclaimed.  
  
Lupin looked to her door and back to her, "Sh, I don't want your mother hearing you," he instructed and they sat in silence for a moment, her tears now falling onto her bedspread.  
  
It was her that finally spoke, "So Dean's - Dean's dead?" She asked quietly and he only nodded. "But what about H - Harry, and Ron, and Hermione?" She continued, hoping for a better answer that what he had given her mother.  
  
Her hope wasn't fufilled, "Honestly Ginny, I don't know. You heard most of what happened earlier," at this he paused and then went on, "But you shouldn't be worrying about them - "  
  
"They're my friends! And my brother!" She cried and he immeadiately silenced her.  
  
"Please, do keep your voice down," he sighed rubbing his eyes in the same stressful mannor. "I know they're your friends Ginny, but you've got to concentrate on school for now, you're leaving next week as your mother pointed out. There's no need for you to involve yourself."  
  
She stared at him, "Voldemort's got Harry! My brother and my best friend are going to try and save him! And Merlin! If they even make it out alive - " she stopped quickly but continued before Lupin had time to say anything more. " -- And you want me to not get involved?" she said firmly.  
  
"Yes," he said simply staring back at her with his sunken - hopeless eyes.  
  
She opened her mouth to argue again but closed it again and looked down to her feet. She finally realized these last two years had been harder for him than anyone else in the order. He had lost Sirius - the last remaining friend from his old school days, Bill - who had become a great friend of his after their few years together at the Order, and now Harry was captured - the last reminder of James, Lily, and Sirius he had left, not to mention he had become like a father to Harry after Sirius' death - knowing he could never take Sirius' place of course. The last thing he wanted would be for Harry, Ron, or Hermione to die - nor herself for that matter.  
  
The silence had become eerie and Ginny sat up a bit straighter and looked back to Lupin. "What was your seventh year like?" She asked suddenly, trying to get Lupin out of his depressed state for the time being.  
  
Her question seemed to startle her and he looked to her blankly for a moment until a smile creeped up the face - exactly the effect she had been hoping for.  
  
"It was great," he grinned, "James and Sirius got in so much trouble, it was amazing, I close at their heels most of the time. Of course," he sat up straighter and put on a somewhat mocking posture. "I had to keep in check seeing how I was a prefect."  
  
Ginny listened eagerly, smiling aswell, "Dumbledore saw right through that though, right?" She asked.  
  
He laughed, "Of course! I don't think McGonagal was fooled either, and Snape - " he cringed, " - he was more sleezy than ever, always trying to hex Sirius and James behind their backs. James never reacted though, had to keep clean for Lily." He was lost in thought for a moment, reliving old memories.  
  
Soon he snapped back to realitly and looked to her again, "You'll have a great time Ginny," he assured her and stood up. "I must be off though, Moody's already trying to track down the two." He paused and she was slightly startled he was telling her anything. "Just remember Ginny, you've got a year to spare before you can join the Order, don't be too eager to mix with the war." He said and exited her room. 


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione awoke with a start at the cooing of some animal. She opened her eyes slowly to find, ruefully, that they were still in the muggle house - and Harry was still missing.  
  
Once again something cooed, and she strained her eyes to see in the darkness of the house. The outline of what looked to be an owl was sitting patiently on the table infront of her, with what seemed to be a rolled up parchment by it's feet.  
  
She slowly rose and suddenly realized Ron wasn't beside her as he had been the night before. She panicked for a moment thinking she had lost him too, until she heard someone else's light breath to her right.  
  
Quickly she looked over and found the faint outline of Ron sprawled on the chair beside her.  
  
Reassured, Hermione picked up the paper in font of the owl. Too drained to do any sort of spell, she reached over and turned on a muggle lamp.  
  
The light was blinding and she blinked for a few moments, getting used to the light, and then bent down to read the paper.  
  
She read the first line and gasped to herself and hastened to get up and arose Ron. She shook him lightly and he grumbled something but was quick to sit up.  
  
"What's wrong 'Mione?" He asked cringing at the bright light.  
  
"Listen to this," she prompted and held up the paper. " 'Member killed, two missing - '" she began.  
  
"It's an Order paper?" Ron asked quickly.  
  
She nodded and then went on swiftly, " 'An all out search has been posted by top member Alabaster Moody. The two missing are Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley, the people invovled in the case already say they can't be far from London. The Order's officals ask for you to keep a lookout for them.  
  
'Three of them were missing until just last night, when our own Dean Thomas and Remus Lupin were attacked by a pack of Death Eaters. Lupin barely escaped, but sadly Mr. Thomas did not. That is the Order's twentyninth death to date.'"  
  
She stopped reading even though there was more and looked to Ron for guidance of any kind.  
  
"You better set that down on the table, 'Mione," he said softly and she nodded, slowly putting it on the table.  
  
An instant later the paper burst into flame - much to the owl's dismay - and dissapeared, leaving naught a mark on the wooden table.  
  
"So Dean's dead," Ron said simply, leaning back in his chair rubbing his eyes wearily.  
  
Hermione's nodded, "They're looking for us too, but they didn't say anything about Harry. Why Ron? Why aren't they looking for him too?" She asked, her voice rising in slight hysteria.  
  
Ron sat back up in his chair and came over beside her, putting a supporting arm around her shoulders.  
  
"They are 'Mione, they are. But they couldn't rightly print that the one person that everyone's depending on to end this war is missing." He paused, "It'd be a blow to the whole Order, and what would of happened if the paper would of gotten into the wrong hands?"  
  
She nodded and looked to him, "But what now? Dean's gone," she sighed and put her head in her hands.  
  
"And with everyone in the Order watching for us, it's going to be near impossible to find Harry without being caught." He stated  
  
"We need help Ron," she looked at him hopelessly, "There's no way we can take this on alone."  
  
He shook his head, "I said near Hermione, near impossible, there's still hope yet." He stood up abruptly, "We'll have to leave soon before the newsletter gets out to everyone."  
  
She stared at him, "N - Now, but, Ron - " She began.  
  
He took her by the arm and pulled her up, "We've got to get moving Hermione," it wasn't often that he called her by her real name, "We have about an hour of darkness left, it's going to take us long enough to get there on foot without having to travel at night. I'm not going to take the chance by apparating, we've got to leave now."  
  
With that, they gathered up their things and put their wands securely in their pockets and set off into the slowly rising sun off in pursuit of their friend  
  
**  
  
It was two days before the start of her last year in Hogwarts, and Ginny found herself back in Diagon Alley.  
  
It was strange how little it had changed, how little the people of the wizarding world had changed. Everyone knew Voldemort was back, but strangely - showed no signs of it. The ministry had profusly stated that they had the best in the business tracking him and keeping their cities safe.  
  
But Ginny didn't feel very assured.  
  
Maybe it was because she had lived right upstairs from where the Order met every month, maybe it was because she'd had so many people close to her die under the hand of Voldemort, whatever it was, she was very weary walking through the streets of Diagon Alley.  
  
Her mother was determined not to leave her side, and Ginny found shopping so very boring. They finally came to Fred and George's shop, the "Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes" hanging proudly above it - and she convinced her mother that she would be fine if she stayed there and let her finish the shopping alone.  
  
When Ginny's mother finally left her, she stepped into her brother's shop. She gazed around her - though she'd been in the store on many occasions before. They always seemed to have something new up, and they all delighted her.  
  
She picked up a package of some fireworks with the now-familiar triple W that alerted whoever bought these tricks that they had the best.  
  
She patiently waited for the person George was helping to check out and leave before having a seat at the counter.  
  
"Well hullo Ginny, where's mum?" He asked looking behind her as though he expected his mother's normall dissaproving face to appear.  
  
"She's still shopping," Ginny shrugged, "I finally convinced her that I'd be safe here."  
  
"Well how could you of done that?" Fred joked coming out of the back.  
  
Ginny smiled to her brothers and the looked cautiously around. "Have you heard the news?" She asked in a hoarse whisper.  
  
Fred and George exchanged looks and she followed them into the back room. She had a seat in a nearby chair while the other two sat on random trunks.  
  
"Got the newsletter a few days ago," George said. They'd still joined the Order, but since they refused to leave the shop that had taken them years to make - the Order members had decided to make their shop a post, keeping a watchout for any suspicious events in Diagon Alley.  
  
"Mum told us not to say anything to you, though." Fred said cocking an eyebrow at her.  
  
Ginny nodded with a sulking face, "Professor Lupin came by the night after - Did you know Harry's missing too?"  
  
Fred's eyes grew large but George didn't look as surprised. "I knew there was something up, I've never seen anything mentioned about Ron or Hermione without Harry's name too." He said and Fred only looked to him.  
  
"Do they have any idea where he's at?" George continued.  
  
Ginny nodded slowly, "Voldemort," she said in a hushed whisper.  
  
This time they both looked equally startled, "Does that mean Ron and Hermione." Fred began but Ginny shook her head.  
  
"No, not yet, but that's where they're heading, to find him. Dean," she paused for a moment, "Dean said that too many people would get Harry killed."  
  
"So they're going to try and take Voldemort on by themselves?" Fred cried.  
  
Ginny and George immeadiately silenced him, "Not so loud Fred," George hissed.  
  
"Sorry," Fred said breathlessly, "But they are?" He asked quieter this time.  
  
She nodded and Fred sat back at let out a low whistle. "There's no way," George said, not completely believing it. "Hermione and Ron? They can't - they'll get killed!" he cried in a hoarse whisper and shook his head in an exasperated mannor.  
  
"I know George, I know," Ginny said rather hopelessly, "They won't live unless they have some kind of help." A small smirk played on her lips.  
  
They were silent for a moment until Fred looked up, "What are you suggesting Ginny?" He asked furrowing his brow.  
  
She shrugged, "We could help them,"  
  
George shook his head, "That's a crazy idea Ginny - "  
  
Fred broke his brother off, "I love it! What do you have in mind?"  
  
George stared at him, "Fred! This isn't like one of our pranks, we're dealing with Volemort!"  
  
Fred looked sobered and for a moment Ginny lost hope that they'd help her. "But we are members of the Order George, it's our duty, isn't it?" Fred finally piped up and her confidence in them was revived.  
  
George shook his head again, "We're supposed to report anything, not go after it!"  
  
"No, George, I just need to know I can come here, that's all." Ginny said quickly, mustering up the most pathetic look she could get.  
  
"Mom would have our head if she found out, you know that, both of you know." George said looking from one to the other, knowing he was going to have to give in.  
  
At that, Fred grinned and turned back to Ginny, "So as I was saying, what do you have in mind?"  
  
Ginny smiled to them, "Hermione and I exchanged pendants last year," she said pulling out a lily-shaped silver pendant from her pocket. "She has one exactly like it, I'm not sure if she still has hers, but I know there's some sort of spell that can tell me where the matching one is."  
  
Fred and George looked to each other, "And if you find it, what are you going to do?"  
  
"Get out of Hogwarts - somehow," she said, "I'm still working on that,"  
  
"And then you're going to come . . . here?" He continued.  
  
She nodded, "I won't be missed for maybe a day, I don't know, but it's not safe to apparate here, is it?"  
  
Fred shook his head, "Ministry's put some kind of charm on the whole city. Remember that bloke that blew himself up last week, George?"  
  
George nodded but still looked undecided, "If you can make it out of Hogwarts, you can stay here. But listen Ginny, if you get caught, you weren't coming here. Mom still hasn't gotten over us starting this shop."  
  
A bell clinged and Fred looked out, "Speaking of the devil," he muttered.  
  
"Hi Mum," George said with a slightly mocking smile as he came out of the room with the other two trailing behind him.  
  
"Fred, George," she said cooly, nodding to them, "Ready to go Ginny?"  
  
Ginny nodded and her mother immeadiately walked out of the store.  
  
"Surprised she even came in here," Fred said with his eyebrows raised.  
  
Ginny smiled and hugged her two brothers goodbye, "See you later," she said waving and walked out to join her mother. 


End file.
